[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 2 (Thursday, January 4, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S47]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CRISIS

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, first of all I want to identify with what 
I think has been a very compelling case made by a variety of my 
colleagues here on the floor of the Senate, by the Senator from New 
Mexico, the Senator from Maryland, and the Senator from Kentucky, in 
describing in very human terms what is happening with real families 
impacted by the Government shutdown. And that same situation is 
happening in spades in my own State of Massachusetts. There are 
heartrending stories of families that in so many circumstances really 
are being devastated. The adverse impact on children continues. And it 
is very real. The prospects are of serious consequence, indeed. And 
that is a very important issue for the American people to dwell on, to 
be concerned about and also to bring their best judgment on the levels 
of power to try to remedy it.
  The Government shutdown was remedied here in the U.S. Senate by the 
actions that were taken by Senator Dole, and I think all of us want to 
take note of his leadership and understanding--that this charade of 
closing down the Government is nothing but a charade.
  If our good friends, our Republican friends, the majority in the 
House and Senate, had met their responsibilities, these various 
appropriations bills would have been passed as has been done in other 
years. If they had been vetoed, these matters would have been worked 
out in the same way they have been historically--as has been described 
by the Senator from Maryland.
  It is not a shutdown because even our Republican friends say they are 
going to pay all of these individuals eventually. So it is really not a 
shutdown. The taxpayers are going to pay these people.
  Maybe they get some satisfaction, the Senator from Oklahoma and 
others, from the fact that the Americans are not going to be working 
now. They are not going to work, and, yet, our Republican friends say 
eventually they are going to be paid. And in the meantime, we have 
these human conditions and human tragedies that are taking place. The 
American people understand it. I think all of us are very hopeful that 
our Republican friends in the House are going to follow the leadership 
that has been provided in the Senate by Republicans and permit the 
opportunity for the services to be continued which are in so many 
instances essential for the well-being of our fellow citizens. And, I 
am hopeful that whatever differences exist can be worked out as has 
been part of the proud tradition of this country.

  Mr. President, I wish to address an issue which is related to these 
negotiations which are taking place between the leadership, Republican 
and Democrat, and the President. It is one aspect of these negotiations 
which I think bears close attention by our colleagues here in the 
Congress and the Senate but most of all by our senior citizens and by 
working families in this country, because it is a matter that will have 
a very significant and important adverse impact on them if it is 
included in the budget proposal.
  Like others, I have stated that we are for the balanced budget, but 
we do believe it has to meet the basic criteria of being fair and just 
to the American people. That means if there is going to be belt-
tightening, it ought to be across the board and not be particularly 
burdensome to the neediest and most vulnerable, the children, disabled, 
the neediest families in our society. That means we ought to make sure 
whatever the final outcome is going to be, it will be fair and just for 
all Americans. It is on that issue that I address the Senate for these 
few remaining moments this morning.

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